KISORO – As the Kisoro Woman MP by-election approaches, President Yoweri Museveni on Tuesday addressed a large gathering at Saaza Grounds in Kisoro Municipality, urging residents to reject sectarianism and support the National Resistance Movement (NRM) candidate, Hon. Rose Kabagyeni.
Amid rising tensions and allegations of sectarian tactics in the campaign, Museveni emphasized the importance of unity and condemned any attempt to divide people along ethnic or religious lines.
Hon. Jackline Kyatuheire, the Deputy NRM Treasurer, represented NRM Secretary General Richard Todwong at the event in her speech informed the President of the alleged spread of sectarian messages in the by-election.
Kyatuheire further pointed to the former NRM candidates who lost to Hon Kabagyeni accusing them of forming a faction against the NRM candidate out of frustration over their primary loss. She urged the NRM to develop long-term solutions to address this issue, saying that such divisions threaten the party’s core values and unity.
Dr. Chris Baryomunsi, representing the NRM Central Executive Committee for Western Uganda, reinforced these sentiments, reminding the gathering that all primary candidates had pledged to support the eventual NRM winner and flagbearer, as agreed in a meeting with Museveni.
Baryomunsi expressed disappointment that some NRM members were instead backing an independent candidate, calling this a violation of the party’s code of conduct. He also highlighted how some local NRM leaders openly aligned with certain candidates during the primaries,which want allowed, and have since joined them in supporting the independent candidate, which, he noted, is against party principles.
In his response, President Museveni highlighted the dangers of sectarianism, recalling how similar divisions contributed to Uganda’s political instability in the 1960s and ultimately led him and others to wage the Bush War.
He revealed that he had spoken with Dr. Philemon Mateke, the Kisoro District NRM Chairman, and both Rt. Rev. Godfrey Mbitse of Muhabura Diocese and Rt. Rev. Callist Rubaramira of Kabale Diocese to address the divisive rhetoric circulating in the district.
“Sectarianism is poison,” Museveni warned, cautioning the people of Kisoro against allowing it to infiltrate their politics.
He urged voters to remember that NRM has always prioritized unity and development over divisions based on ethnicity or religion.
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